He’s officially a cardinal!
New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan was made a prince of the church this morning at the Vatican when Pope Benedict XVI presented him with his red hat and ring during an elevation ceremony before 10,000 people.
In his message to Dolan and the 21 other newly-minted cardinals, the pope said, “The new cardinals, in their service, are called to remain faithful to Christ at all times, letting themselves be guided only by his gospel.”
Nearly 800 New Yorkers were also in attendance inside the grandiose St. Peter’s Basilica to see Dolan when he was called up to the ornate altar, where the pope carefully put the hat – called a biretta – on his head and placed the ring on his finger. . .